PAGE, Miss Dione M. E.

1936 - ?

Born at Chelsea, London on 10 July 1936, youngest child of Ernest Page (7 November 1873-1946), a farmer, and his wife Dorothy Mary M.néeScrivener (3 February 1892-1968), who married at St George's Hanover Square, London in 1924 and in 1939 were living at Beckingham Hall, Maldon, Essex where Dione grew up. She attended Essex schools in Danbury and Colchester then studied at the Colchester School of Art 1953-1956 under the headship of John O’Connor [q.v.] with tuition from Hugh Cronyn [q.v.] and Carel Weight R.A. (1908-1992). For about four years she worked as a graphic design artist, initially for Charles Debenham (born 1933) using the three tools that have served her since, lumigraph pencil, gouache and wax pastel. For thirty years she wrote about the arts for the ‘Essex County Standard’ and became a Selection and General Committee member of the Colchester Art Society. Dione was a tutor for Essex County Council Adult Art Education 1977-1997 taking Master Classes and has received several notable awards such as the Watercolour Award at the RWA 1983 and 1988, the Best Watercolour at the Essex Open Exhibition in 1995, the Best Painting Award at the East of England Art Exhibition in 1996 and in the same year won the Best Newcomer Award at the Bury St Edmunds Art Society. An associate member of the Ipswich Art Club 1965-1974 and exhibited from Dale Brow, Thorpe Road, Weeley, Clacton, Essex in 1965 two watercolours 'The Pool' and 'Wind, Reeds and Gravel' and was a regular exhibitor. She married at Penzance Cornwall in 1968, picture framer Nelson Blowers and they have three children. Since her marriage she has exhibited at the Ipswich Art Clubs as Mrs D. Blowers from the same address two watercolours 'Godrevy, Cornwall' and 'Harwich Town Hall' but in 1973 exhibited as Miss D. Page from the same address 'Wagon' and 'Inside the Hedge'. Her first pictures were memories of holidays in Wales, attracted by the mountains and waterfalls; water gushing over bare rocks was a favourite theme and Welsh chapels and cottage buildings standing out firmly from their backgrounds, their severity lightened by just a touch of colour. A country mansion stands in the background, dwarfed by outsize flowers, with a plate of fruit in the foreground or the scene is maritime, Essex fishing boats and a foreshore filled with anchors, fishing tackle and shells. Her solo exhibitions include venues such as the Phoenix Galleries in Lavenham Suffolk, and in London, and she has had her work included in group shows at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions in London, the Royal Watercolour Society and the Society of Women Artists in London, the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff and the Patricia Wells Gallery in Thornbury near Bristol amongst other private galleries.